The Aboriginal people of Australias Western Desert lived in their homelands for thousands of years. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the expansion of the Western Australian mining and pastoral... industries led to the surveying of a track along which cattle could be moved from Kimberley stations to markets in the south. This track, and the 54 wells that were created along its length, became known as the Canning Stock Route. Similar stock routes were established across Aboriginal lands throughout Australia. This is the story of one such track, told from the perspectives of the Aboriginal people whose country it crossed. It is a story of contact with Europeans, of conflict and survival, of exodus and return. Above all, it is a story of family, culture and country.
The Canning Stock Route runs for 1800 kilometres from Wiluna to Halls Creek in Western Australia and traverses the traditional countries of many of the artists featured in this exhibition. Today these artists create their works at the community art centres and cultural enterprises located where they now live.
The exhibition will be opened by our Second Secretary, Mr Maris Tebecis and will last until 9 October 2016.
